Potentilla plant named &#39;Mincrero04&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Potentilla plant named ‘Mincrero04’ is disclosed. The new variety is characterized by exhibiting semi-double light pink colored flowers, forming medium green colored foliage, and exhibiting moderately vigorous compact and bushy growth habit. The new variety is particularly well suited for providing distinctive ornamentation in the landscape.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Plant Breeders' Right Application Number 2019/1496, which was filed at Community Plant Variety Office in the European Union on Jun. 20, 2019, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Potentilla fruticosa.

Variety denomination: ‘Mincrecro04’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Potentilla plant botanically known as Potentilla fruticosa and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Mincrero04’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France, during July 2009. The objective of the breeding program was to develop double flowers in the Potentilla genus.

The new cultivar was discovered in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France. The new Potentilla cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is an unnamed breeder seedling, (not patented), characterized by its semi double yellow flowers, yellow and red flower buds, and moderate compact growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is an unnamed breeder seedling (not patented), characterized by its semi-double pink colored flowers and compact growth habit.

The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during September 2012 in a controlled environment in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings since September 2012 in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Mincrero04’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Potentilla plant:

-   -   (a) forms semi-double light pink colored flowers,     -   (b) exhibits medium green colored foliage, and     -   (c) provides moderately vigorous, compact and bushy growth         habit.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. It can be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, public areas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety of the present invention can readily be distinguished from its ancestors. More specifically, the female parent (i.e., the seed parent) displays yellow colored flowers, whereas the new variety displays light pink colored flowers and exhibits a more rounded growth habit compared to the female parent. The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) displays a lower petal count compared to the new variety.

Moreover, the new variety can be readily distinguished from other similar non-parental varieties. Of the many commercially available Potentilla cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Potentilla ‘Pink Beauty’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,874). However, plants of ‘Pink Beauty’ display darker pink colored flowers and exhibit lower petal count compared to the new variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of the new variety. The illustrated plants of the new variety were grown in 4-liter containers for three years in an outdoor nursery in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of the plant—side view of the overall growth and flowering habit.

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of a flower cluster—close-up view.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart), London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has been added to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. The color values were determined in June 2020 under natural light conditions in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France.

The following descriptions, including measurements, is based on the observation of specimens of the new variety during 2020 produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in 17.0 cm containers for approximately 15 months in an outdoor nursery in La Menitre, Maine Et Loire, France. Plants were pinched once after transplant.

-   Botanical classification: Potentilla fruticosa cultivar Mincrero04. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—unnamed breeder seedling, not patented.         -   Male parent.—unnamed breeder seedling, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—approximately 40 to 60 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—approximately 80 to 100             days.         -   Root description.—fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—approximately 36 months from a rooted             cutting to finish in 17.0 cm container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—moderately vigorous,             compact and bushy growth habit.         -   Size.—height from soil level to top of plant plane:             approximately 22.0 cm on average. width: approximately 20.0             cm on average.         -   Branching habit.—freely branching, pinching enhances basal             branching. quantity of main branches per plant:             approximately 45 on average.         -   Branch.—strength: strong, somewhat flexible, becomes woody             with age. length: approximately 18.0 cm on average. diameter             approximately 4.0 mm on average. length of central             internode: approximately 1.2 cm on average. texture:             pubescent. color of young stems: commonly near Greyed-Red             Group 178B. color of mature stems: commonly near Green Group             138A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—quantity of leaves per branch:             approximately 20 on average. quantity of leaves per branched             lateral stem: approximately 10 on average. fragrance: none             detected. form: palmately compound, 3 to 5 leaflets present.             arrangement: alternate. durability to stress: moderate to             high.         -   Leaves.—aspect: primarily perpendicular to stem. shape:             oblong. margin: entire. apex: obtuse. base: acute. venation             pattern: pinnate and inconspicuous. length of mature leaf:             approximately 1.8 cm on average. width of mature leaf:             approximately 1.0 cm on average. texture of upper and lower             surfaces: pubescent. color of upper surface of mature             foliage: commonly near Green Group 138A. color of lower             surface of mature foliage: commonly near Green Group 138B.         -   Petiole.—shape: orbicular. length: approximately 4.0 mm on             average. width: approximately 1.0 mm on average. texture:             pubescent. color, commonly near Yellow-Green Group 145A. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—freely flowering under outdoor growing             conditions with substantially continuous blooming from late             spring through mid-fall.         -   Lastingness of individual flower.—approximately 5 days.             Self-cleaning. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—type: solitary, axillary at the apex of             stems. quantity of open inflorescences per plant:             approximately 60 on average. fragrance: none. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—semi-double.         -   Bud just before opening.—shape: flattened globose. length:             approximately 7.0 mm on average. diameter approximately 8.0             mm on average. texture: soft. color of petals: commonly near             Orange Group 27A and Red Group 48A.         -   Corolla.—shape: rotate. depth: approximately 0.6 cm on             average. diameter approximately 2.8 cm on average.         -   Petals.—shape: obovate to orbicular. margin: entire. apex:             orbicular. length: approximately 12.0 mm on average. width:             approximately 12.0 mm on average. texture of upper and lower             surfaces: soft, smooth. color of upper and lower surfaces             when first and fully open: commonly near Red Group 49B with             near Yellow-Orange Group 18B. number of petals:             approximately 14 to 15 per flower.         -   Calyx.—shape: bowl, convex base. length: approximately             3.0 mm. diameter approximately 3.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—quantity per flower 5. apex: acute. margin: entire.             length: approximately 3.0 mm on average. width:             approximately 4.0 mm on average. texture of inner surface:             pubescent. texture of outer surface: pubescent. color of             inner and outer surfaces: commonly near Yellow-Green Group             145B with commonly near Greyed-Red Group 179A.         -   Pedicels.—strength: good. length: approximately 8.0 mm on             average. diameter. Approximately 1.0 mm on average. texture:             pubescent. color commonly near Yellow-Green Group 145B with             near Greyed-Red Group 179A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: stamen quantity:             approximately 18 per flower. anther shape: cordate. anther             length: approximately 1.0 mm. anther color commonly near             Yellow-Orange Group 15A. pollen amount: scarce. pollen color             commonly near Yellow-Orange Group 15A. Gynoecium: pistil             quantity: approximately 20 per flower. pistil length:             approximately 2.0 mm on average. stigma shape: capitate.             stigma length: approximately 1.0 mm on average. stigma color             commonly near Orange-Red Group 31B. style length:             approximately 2.0 mm on average. style color commonly near             Yellow-Green Group 145B. ovary length: approximately 0.4 mm             on average. ovary color commonly near Yellow-Green Group             145B. -   Development:     -   -   Seed and fruit production.—not observed to date.         -   Disease and pest resistance.—resistance to pathogens and             pests common to Potentilla has not been observed. Plants of             ‘Mincrero04’ have not been observed under all possible             environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is             possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat             with variations in the environment, such as temperature,             light intensity, and day length, without, however, any             variance in genotype. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Potentilla plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) forms semi-double light pink colored flowers, (b) exhibits medium green colored foliage, and (c) provides moderately vigorous, compact and bushy growth habit; substantially as herein shown and described. 